In the diozesan development process "helping to shape the archdiocese a new stage is reached. The archbishop of bamberg, ludwig schick, has confirmed the determination of the territorial scope of the future pastoral areas by the ordinariate conference. After discussions with the pastoral teams and the local committees, and after many meetings of the "pastoral structures" expert committee 35 were formed from the previous 95 pastoral areas. According to the press release of the archdiocese, the ecclesiastical and foundation structures of the existing parishes and curacies will remain unchanged for the time being.
Leading pastor
By the fall of 2019, the leading parish priests should be determined. Then, by the issuance of the corresponding decrees, the pastoral areas are put into effect.
Archbishop schick thanked all those who had collaborated in the territorial definition of the pastoral areas, especially the staff office for diocesan development with its director, domkapitular heinrich hohl. "The determination of the territories of the new pastoral areas is completed. Now the previous 95 must be merged into the new 35", said archbishop schick. Among other things, this meant forming 35 pastoral teams out of 95, determining the leading pastors and adapting the committees. The "goal of maintaining an appealing church, life-serving services, a joyful community life and good charity should always be in view", so the chief shepherd.
Coordinators appointed
For the management and organization of this phase, which is to be completed by fall 2019, the archdiocesan ordinariate will assign a coordinator for each of the 35 new pastoral areas. These will take on a variety of organizational tasks, such as convening and supporting the transitional committees and the future pastoral teams. In addition, each pastoral area is to receive a full-time administrative director who will relieve the pastors of administrative tasks.
The activity of the coordinators ends in autumn 2019, when the leading pastors of the new pastoral areas take office and the newly formed pastoral teams begin their work. Canon heinrich hohl thanked all those who have been involved in the diocesan process of "helping to shape the archdiocese" they have all helped to complete an important stage in the process of realigning the archdiocese." vicar general georg kestel pointed out the upcoming tasks: "after the territorial redefinition, the way is open for the pastoral content of the new pastoral areas."
New pastoral areas
Forchheim: heroldsbach (with oesdorf, poppendorf, wimmelbach), hausen, buckenhofen, burk, reuth, forchheim don bosco (with st. Anna), forchheim st. Martin, forchheim declaration of christ, kersbach – 22 303 catholics, 6.69 places french switzerland: unterleinleiter, ebermannstadt, niedermirsberg (with gasseldorf, russenbach, wohlmuthshull), kirchehrenbach (with reifenberg), weilersbach, pretzfeld, gobweinstein (with kleingesee, muggendorf, tuchersfeld), moggast, wichsenstein, leutenbach (with st. Moritz, mittelehrenbach), weingarts-regensberg (with oberehrenbach), obertrubach (with barnfels, geschwand, untertrubach), pinzberg (with dobenreuth, gosberg), wiesenthau (with schlaifhausen) – 19 761 catholics, 7,65 places neunkirchen am brand: poxdorf, effeltrich (with gaiganz), langensendelbach (with brauningshof, marloffstein), neunkirchen am brand (with grobenbuch, rodlas, rosenbach), hetzles, dormitz (with kleinsendelbach), weibenohe (with grafenberg), stockach-forth,
Eckenhaid – 18,865 catholics, 5.8 places buttenheim – heiligenstadt – eggolsheim: buttenheim (with
Altendorf), gunzendorf (with frankendorf, stackendorf, tiefenhochstadt), tiefenpolz (with
Herzogenreuth, kalteneggolsfeld, oberngrub, teuchatz), heiligenstadt-burggrub, eggolsheim (with kauernhofen, neuses, schirnaidel), drugendorf (with tiefensturmig), drosendorf (with weigelshofen), pautzfeld (with schlammersdorf), hallerndorf, schnaid, willersdorf – 13 594 catholics, 4.92 places bayreuth-land: schonfeld, hollfeld (with plankenfels), freienfels, neuhaus (with drosendorf), hochstahl (with breitenlesau), nankendorf (with wohnsgehaig), volsbach, poppendorf, oberailsfeld, waischenfeld (with seelig) – 9757 catholics, 4.45 places auerbach: creuben (with schnabelwaid), thurndorf, neuzirkendorf, gunzendorf/opf., michelfeld, auerbach (with ranna), troschenreuth, pegnitz, buchenbach (with leups), trockau, neuhaus a. D. Pegnitz (with bernheck), hartenstein, pottenstein, elbersberg, hohenmirsberg, kirchenbirkig (with kuhlenfels) – 22 133 catholics, 8.87 places erlangen 2: rottenbach (with hemhofen, zeckern), dechsendorf, erlangen st. Heinrich, buchenbach zu den heiligen aposteln, buchenbach st. Xystus (with frauenaurach), baiersdorf (with hagenau), bubenreuth (with mohrendorf) – 21 577 catholics, 5.86 places